textproduct: Quad Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures are forecast to remain below normal through the upcoming weekend with warmer temperatures expected for the start of next week. Wind chill values through Saturday are expected to remain the single digits and teen below zero with the coldest night Thursday night into Friday morning.

- The dry pattern continues through Saturday before precipitation chances return Sunday into Sunday night and again late in the period.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/

Issued at 1259 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

Quiet weather is forecast to continue through tonight as a weak storm system passes to our southwest from western Iowa into northern Missouri. This will lead to mainly mid to high level cloudiness through tonight with winds becoming light and variable. Low temperatures will be similar to last night and range from around 5 degrees above zero in far northeast Missouri to as cold as 4 degrees below zero along the Highway 20 corridor. The light and variable winds and colder temperatures will produce wind chill values of 10 to 15 degrees below zero north of the Highway 30 corridor or north of a Cedar Rapids to Clinton to Sterling Rock Falls line.

A weak short wave is forecast to pass to our south during the day on Thursday with an axis of deeper moisture setting up across southern Iowa and northern Missouri. Model consenus would place this axis of moisture south of the CWA with better large scale forcing just to the outside of the area. In coordination with surrounding offices to the south, added flurries to the forecast in far northeast Missouri and adjacent west central Illinois counties. High temperatures will be slightly cooler on Thursday with widespread high temperatures in the teens above zero.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 1259 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

There continues to be only slight changes to the forecast through the long term period so decided to make minor changes to the previous long term forecast discussion.

We will remain quiet through the remainder of the work week, with northwest flow remaining overhead. This will continue to usher in cold advection, keeping temperatures below seasonal norms. High temperatures will be in the teens, with nights in the single digits above and below zero. Winds will remain relatively light and northerly through this stretch as well. Thursday night is forecast to get quite cold once again, with winds of 5-10 mph. These cold temperatures and the breeze will yield bitter cold wind chills once again. We will see wind chills of 10 to 20 below zero through the night, which will bring us close to headline criteria, especially in our north. Since the last forecast package, we have seen nighttime temperatures increase a little bit, limiting winds chill values to 10 to 19 below zero west of the Mississippi River. Thus, confidence right now remains low on the necessity of a cold weather advisory but will continue to monitor the forecast for any additional changes.

This weekend and beyond, we start to see a bit of a change in the pattern as 500 mb heights rise across the region, this will lead to gradually warming temperatures into early next week. Upper level pattern becomes relatively active through the weekend and into next week, with a couple waves that we have our eyes on. The first wave is set to come through on Sunday, with the next coming Tuesday/Wednesday. Ahead of these waves, guidance indicates some return flow to the area, increasing moisture. Thus, we will see precipitation chances with both of these waves. At this time, guidance favors the primary precipitation type as snow. Although, there is plenty of time for that to change, especially for the system in the middle of next week. Rather, just keep an eye on those days for potential light precipitation. As was mentioned, we are going to see return (southerly) flow during this timeframe. Thus, we will also see warm advection, resulting in a gradual increase in temperatures each day. By the middle of next week, guidance favors much of the area seeing temperatures at/above freezing. This would mean that temperature are finally trending towards seasonal norms through the start of the next work week. The upper level pattern looks to remain active through next week, as a rex block-like feature sets up over the west coast. If this block were to set up, we will generally stay in a northwest flow regime, leaving us in the path of potential clipper systems.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 517 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

Winds will remain under 10 knots overnight and through the daylight hours Thursday as surface high pressure slowly builds into the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. High level clouds will overspread the area as another system approaches from the Plains. Some flurries are possible after 20z/29 along the IA/MO border and into west central Illinois.

DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

IA...None. IL...None. MO...None.